National Mutual vs. Travelers: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Travelers offers less expensive rates than National Mutual
• National Mutual has more affordable premiums for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Travelers offers cheaper average prices for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

National Mutual vs. Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to National Mutual or Travelers, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, National Mutual has average rates that are about 17% per month more expensive than those from Travelers.

That being said, Travelers may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among a whole bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if National Mutual or Travelers is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

National Mutual or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

National Mutual and Travelers only compete against each other in three states, with Travelers offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Iowa has the most noticable difference, where Travelers prices are over 70% more affordable than car insurance premiums at National Mutual.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $100 less a month by choosing Travelers over National Mutual.

But with both companies, you'll see your rates decrease significantly by the time you turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. National Mutual's average prices reduce over 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the cheapest car insurance premiums you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for insurance.

When looking at National Mutual and Travelers specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $132 a month compared to National Mutual's $134. However, the difference is only about 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the lowest rates for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally cheaper for married couples than they are for single policyholders? That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $50 per month more affordable than National Mutual, on average. But for married policyholders, that advantage is much less clear - Travelers offers the cheapest average prices.

National Mutual vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women? This is because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

With National Mutual, women usually pay nearly 10% a month less than men, and about 6% less with Travelers.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Travelers offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women, with average prices 19% less for men and 16% cheaper for women.

National Mutual or Travelers: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

But most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

In this case, National Mutual offers the lowest average rates for state minimum liability insurance, while Travelers has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with National Mutual Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $85 cheaper with Travelers.

Is National Mutual or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is National Mutual or Travelers less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

National Mutual policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $11 per month if they get a ticket, while Travelers normally raises prices about $32 a month, on average.

If you have a clean record, Travelers tends to offer the best premiums at around 2% more affordable, while National Mutual has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

National Mutual policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by over 35%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see about a 25% increase.

Overall, the less expensive rates come from Travelers, with monthly premiums averaging $173 compared to National Mutual Insurance's $207.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, National Mutual increases average prices by just under $200 per month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact National Mutual and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect many drivers out there.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper rates.

Looking specifically at National Mutual and Travelers, which company has the best premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is National Mutual or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly prices. Typically, those who drive less will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much National Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Travelers, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying around $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Travelers is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

National Mutual vs. Travelers: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Travelers normally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but Travelers comes out on top with average prices about $136 per month. Travelers also has more affordable average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 5% and 20% a month respective difference when compared to National Mutual drivers in similar areas.

National Mutual vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by National Mutual and Travelers so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Travelers blows National Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 25 different discounts to National Mutual's 19.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for getting driver training, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Travelers also offers ABS discounts, alternative fuel discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that National Mutual does not.

On the flip side, National Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- claim free discounts, education discounts, empty nester discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is National Mutual or Travelers Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right fit for you?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

National Mutual might be best for you if...

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between National Mutual and Travelers and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just National Mutual and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

National Mutual vs. Travelers FAQs

Is National Mutual or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $201 for National Mutual. That being said, Travelers won't necessarily be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a variety of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, National Mutual or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do National Mutual and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Variables such as where you call home, age, where you park your car, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both National Mutual and Travelers calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if National Mutual or Travelers is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be National Mutual or Travelers at all!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.